Q&A with Hayley Klaff

What has your journey at Lorien been like so far?

Refreshing. Six years ago, I joined Lorien as a Recruitment Programme Manager to help with a new client implementation. Since then, I’ve progressed my career to Implementation and Supply Team Manager, then to my current role as Director of Projects, covering all STEM brands (Lorien and sister brands SRG and Carbon60). I have enjoyed progressing through the company and I’ve also loved being able to influence how we operate, like introducing our mentoring programme and setting up our internal ED&I team. At Lorien, if you have a good idea, you are encouraged to run with it, and I’ve really embraced that side of working for the business.

What is a career highlight for you or your team?

The mentoring programme that I brought in in 2018 is something I am proud of as I’ve seen it flourish throughout the years. I have seen people at Lorien who have progressed in their career with help from the mentoring programme. A personal highlight was being chosen as the winner of the Lorien Values award in 2019, which allowed me to go on a trip to Barbados.

What is the Lorien workplace culture like?

At Lorien, we get things done the right way. We do the basics right, and when you get that right you can grow. It isn’t a strict workplace – people are able to bring themselves to work, talk about their passions, and get involved. It’s not just about doing your job, you’re able to contribute as much as you want to our business outside of sales which is great. It’s a very welcoming culture and is approachable from the top down with no visible hierarchy of people who are hidden away in the office. People stay with Lorien for a long time, including myself. I’ve been in the industry for 24 years and this is the longest I’ve stayed at one workplace.

What are your top tips for anyone going for an interview?

You should always be yourself and do your research about who we are and what we do. Look at our business and what our key focus areas are. Think about how you will help people find great work with our clients before the interview too. Also, don’t be afraid to talk about your passions – they make you stand out.

What does a typical day at work look like for you?

I am in a very client-facing role, as I manage all client projects and look after our Project Managers. My day could include anything from back-to-back client meetings to some free time to work on new projects. Each client requirement is unique, which means I’m always working on interesting solutions and meeting new people. I also have a nice split between the office and homeworking, with members of my team choosing to work remotely full-time.

What is it that drew you to Lorien?

I knew of Lorien from when I worked at our sister brand Guidant Global and had met the senior leadership team before. I always liked the honest and straight-forward approach that Lorien had adopted. Lorien is a recruitment business through and through, and their values aligned very much with mine. In particular, once you have met the leadership team you think ‘I want to work for these people’, which was a huge draw for me.

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